Michelle Carson
Michelle Renee Carson is an American actress, writer, director, and acting teacher. She portrays Bebe Crane on Center Stage and is also known for a variety of film, television, and theatre roles. Early Life Carson was born in Vestal, New York on May 19, 1976. Her mother, Ellen, worked as a nurse. Her father, Bryan, was a high school English teacher. She has two younger brothers, Michael, a pharmacist, and Jason, an accountant. As a young child, Michelle displayed an early aptitude for performing, often putting on shows in her room using stuffed animals. She describes herself as a "terminally introverted kid", but it was taking drama in high school that helped break her out of her shell and sparked her love for performing. She graduated from Vestal Senior High School and then attended Binghamton University, majoring in Theater. Upon receiving her degree in 1997, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles and graduated with an MFA in Acting in 2000. It was at UCLA that she met Katharine Parish, then a graduate writing student. The two eventually became collaborators, and Parish wrote the character of Bebe Crane with Carson in mind. Career Acting Carson's career began in theatre and independent film. In 2000 she transitioned into television, playing Carmen Sandiego in a revival of Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? ''In 2005, she starred as Karen Chambers in ''This Life, which ran until 2009. Carson has received acclaim for both dramatic and comedic performances. Her Center Stage colleagues have praised her in interviews, with Michael Monahan calling her "one of the hardest-working actors I've ever worked with." Show runner Katharine Parish once referred to Carson as "a meticulous perfectionist who demands the best of herself every day." Fellow actor Mark Mitchell once remarked "there are some people who were just born to be performers. Michelle is one of them." Directing Carson has also received acclaim as a director. She directed the Brighton Theatre's 2010 productions of Dog Sees God and The Odd Couple. She has also directed productions of Someone to Watch Over Me, Waiting for Godot, The Moustrap, Beyond Therapy, and Baby With the Bathwater. Teaching In addition to her work as an actress, Carson is a respected acting teacher. She currently teaches acting at the Brighton Theatre in Los Angeles, where her past students include fellow Mischief actor Kevin Levine. In addition, she also coaches actors in a number of film and television productions. Trivia *Was voted "Biggest Bitch" in college *Was a recipient of the Hagen Outstanding Theatre Educator Award *Once remarked that the Angel in Angels in America is one of her dream roles *While in college a man working in the apartment complex she was living yelled at her because he thought she had left garbage in the laundry room. So she returned later, took his tools, sold them, and used the money to apply to UCLA's graduate acting program *Studied acting and directing at UCLA's graduate theatre program *Has cited Bebe Crane and Carmen Sandiego as her favorite roles Quotes "When you're acting, the last thing you can be is selfish. If you're not giving your partner anything, what's the point?" "I've never wanted to spend my career playing housewives...unless they're whores or drug dealers on the side"